Year: 2019

The initiative board of the Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement (MASA) supports the Rector of the University of Belgrade Ivanka Popović and the protesting students to find a solution that is in the interest of the entire academic community.

The autonomy of the University was once again called into question by the statements of the President of Serbia, the Prime Minister of Serbia and the highest officials of the ruling party. We invite University authorities, colleagues who support our initiative and everyone who cares about defending the value of academic work and freedom of thought to publicly express solidarity with the Rector and students.

The Prime Minister's statements that the Rector "aligned herself on one political side", as well as the unequivocal rejection of the finance minister's plagiarism by the highest representatives of the government, mean the autonomy of the university and the freedom to independently decide on issues that fall under the exclusive competence of the university. The prime minister has labeled the rector and the students as political opponents, thus publicly choosing to be the prime minister of only part of the citizens who are of her political like-mindedness. Once again, we draw attention to the fact that such actions indicate a deep misunderstanding of the essence of university autonomy and scientific research work. The University of Belgrade is neither a government agency nor a political party, and it is unacceptable for any government to use power and abuse institutions to put pressure on the University and its leadership. Therefore, we strongly condemn the attacks on the rector in the pro-regime media.

We must show that the academic community is not ready to silently observe the endangerment, belittling, blackmailing, intimidation of its representatives and students and the meaningless of scientific work. Freedom of scientific work and guaranteed autonomy in the organization of work and decision-making have been essential values of university activity since the 12th century. Therefore, we consider supporting the Rector and students as an act of defending the university's autonomy and freedom of academic activity, as one of the basic elements of a free and democratic society.

In Belgrade, September 24, 2019.

Initiative Board of the Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement

Dalibor Petrović

Đorđe Pavićević

Galjina Ognjanov

Gazelle Pudar Drasko

Nenad Makuljević

The network of academic solidarity and engagement, the symbolic acronym MASA, was formed with the aim of strengthening the independence and critical potential of the academic community. This open network will gather all members of the academic community who are ready to engage in strengthening the voice of the profession and science by defending and consistently representing the basic principles and ethical standards of academic work. 

MASA will provide support to members of the academic community who are threatened because of their scientific and artistic work, i.e. public engagement. In addition, MASA will try to further motivate the academic community to independently deal with its own problems and environmental challenges. An important part of the engagement will be directed towards external actors, primarily towards the Government and competent institutions; MASA will point out negative social phenomena and processes and advocate strong participation of the academic community in the formulation of public policies.

The initiative to form the Network was based on the assessment that the academic community, faced with the general collapse of institutions in Serbia, has not yet reacted in the right way, in solidarity and with a strong voice. The absence of a timely and adequate reaction by the University authorities in cases of plagiarized doctorates, which have shaken society for years, is conspicuous. The recent repeated attack on prominent members of the academic community, which comes from the rostrum of the highest representative body - the Assembly of Serbia, and the absence of an appropriate reaction from the academic community, is a good example of how academic institutions are structurally threatened, and its representatives unprotected.

In such conditions, mutual connection and academic solidarity increase the capacity for joint action and participation in proactively solving broader social problems, for which the voice of members of the academic community is necessary and irreplaceable. Placing science and education on a sound and strong foundation is a necessary prerequisite for the successful development of the state and society, and for this joint action and nurturing the credibility of the academic community is necessary.

Almost all the key values of scientific and academic work are threatened. The responsibility for this lies mostly with the state, which fails to provide the prerequisites for dedicated and responsible work. At the same time, academic institutions are under increasing pressure from those who are supposed to guarantee and protect their autonomy. Attempts to influence the research and personnel policy of academic institutions most directly threaten their independence and, in the long term, collapse the scientific community as a whole. The Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory and the Institute of National Importance in Vinča are the latest examples of institutions where personnel solutions are imposed non-transparently and against the will of the majority.

In order to strengthen the academic community and encourage its members, MASA was formed, which symbolically, but also through concrete actions, wants to show that the academic community can and should work in the interest of the entire society.